Outdoor extravaganza

Learn to “read the water” to find the big ones at the Steelhead River, one of the new attractions at the 39th Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show and Sport Fishing Boat Show at the Portland Expo Center.
(Photo: Photo courtesy of O’Loughlin Trade Shows)

There are lots of good reasons for attending the 39th Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show and Sport Fishing Boat Show, which begins its five-day run Wednesday at the Portland Expo Center.

Just ask some of the people who will be inside the booths.

“The San Diego Show really stinks,” said Phil Pirone of Pro-Cure Bait Scents in Salem. “The monster used to be Long Beach, but that’s really tanked. The biggest show on the West Coast used to be San Mateo. The fairgrounds doesn’t even exist anymore. That’s completely gone.

“Sacramento is a huge show, absolutely monstrous. That’s probably the biggest one that we do on the West Coast. I think Portland’s probably the second-biggest show on the West Coast.”

Pirone knows a little something about outdoors shows. He’s been appearing at them since the 1970s.

“The O’Loughlins (the show’s Portland-based organizers) put on a good show,” he said. “I’ve known the O’Loughlins for over 40 years.”

A lot of people grouse about the cost: $12 for adults ($18 for a two-day pass), and $5 for ages 6 to 16, plus the parking, $6 off-site at Portland International Raceway and Portland Meadows with free shuttle buses, $8 at the Expo Center ($7 with three or more in the vehicle).

Been to a movie lately? Pirone asked. And that lasts a couple of hours.

The show at the Expo Center features hundreds of vendors and displays, non-stop seminars and demonstrations on topics ranging from camp cooking and horse and mule packing to fly casting and tying, tuna fishing, bass fishing and hunting that run from opening to closing most days along with a fish pond stocked with trout for kids, a huge display and seminar tank and casting demo pools as well as trophy displays.

“Everybody’s showing off the newest, hottest, latest,” Pirone said about the commercial booths. “Some of it’s nonsense. But some of it’s some really good stuff that would really obviously benefit an angler.

“The other thing is that a lot of companies run some really spiffy specials. Pro-Cure products is going to be on some really, really good specials, probably some of the best specials they’re going to see all year. So that’s a chance if you know what products you like to really stock up.”

For Wayne Parker of Good Day Fishing (GDF) in Salem, a maker of spinners, flashers and lure-making components, the Portland show is a great place to glad-hand and introduce new products.

“We pick up new customers,” he said. “We talk to new customers, and we get feedback from old customers and repeat customers.

“It gives a chance to get a face-to-face with people who are using your product. The Portland show is pretty important to this.”

And it’s a chance to get the ball rolling for creating buzz for the next big thing.

“We introduce new items and create the demand through the fishermen,” Parker said. “Once a customer goes into the store and asks for this particular item, if they get enough requests, pretty soon they’re going to put it in.”

Joining Parker in the booth will be Trevor Smith, a pro fishing guide who has been instrumental in the success of GDF spinners and who will be joining the company.

“The main reason to go up there is name recognition, which is very, very important in this world,” Parker said about the vendors who participate in the Portland show. “Name recognition and meeting the people and introducing new products, that’s really important to us.”

Name recognition is not an issue with Pirone, who will leave the booth work to five or six of his employees who will be spread among several tackle makers and sellers at the show.

“I can’t go more than 10 feet without running into somebody I know,” Pirone said. “So for me it’s just a good chance to see who of us old farts are still kicking. For me it’s a chance for a reunion with old fishing buddies, people from the industry, people I fished with, people I guided with.

“Like it’s a guy who guided the John Day for smallmouth bass in 1977.”

hemiller@Statesman

Journal.com, (503) 399-6725 or follow at twitter.com/ henrymillersj and friend at facebook.com/hmillersj

It’s show time

What: The 39th Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show and Sport Fishing Boat Show

Discount coupon: $2 off on admission Wednesday, Thursday and Friday only at bit.ly/1mYUS7P. The coupons also are available at Bi-Mart and Les Schwab locations. Or show your Fred Meyer Rewards Card and get a $2 discount weekdays, $1 on weekend admission.

Parking: $8 at the Expo Center, $7 with three or more in vehicle, $6 at Portland International Raceway or Portland Meadows with free shuttle service